Emigration Is Not a Jobs Policy; We’re Not Leaving – say youth groups

Friday 8 November 2013

Advocacy groups for young people are urging all unemployed people to publicly reject letters from the Department of Social Protection advertising overseas jobs.

The youth committees of the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) and Mandate trade union said at a protest outside the Dáil today (Friday, 8 November 2013) that the government is now tacitly encouraging young, unemployed people to emigrate and that anyone receiving such a letter should tear it up in an act of defiance.

CWU Youth Committee Chair, Derek Keenan, said: “The decision to send unemployed workers information pertaining to jobs abroad is a clear admission by the government that it is totally bereft of any coherent jobs strategy.

“While the government pays lip service to providing opportunities for young unemployed workers to retrain or return to education, recent budgetary decisions such as the reductions in Jobseekers’ Allowance, increases in student fees and the introduction of registration fees for apprentices all contribute to making staying and educating yourself in Ireland increasingly prohibitive.”

On the issue of registration fees for apprentices, Brian Nolan of the TEEU, said: “By imposing these exorbitant fees on apprentices the Government have managed to attack the most vulnerable of workers – most of whom earn less than the National Minimum Wage during their apprenticeship. These young men and women who commit to a craft apprenticeship – considered one of the best in the world – need every assistance to ensure that they obtain the relevant qualifications.”

“This latest move by the Government could result in the completion of an apprenticeship being financially out of reach for many. That said, the Irish Government have misjudged the resolve of young workers in this country and they may well have to deal with the backlash”.

Dave Gibney from Mandate Youth, added:

“The actions and rhetoric of this government are a complete contradiction. On the one hand they say the cut in the Jobseekers’ Allowance for young people is an ‘incentive’ to get them into work when they know only too well there are 32 applications for every job advertised in Ireland.

“When you factor in cuts to Jobseekers’ Allowance, the eradication of the travel tax and the advertisement of overseas jobs, young people are very cognisant of the Government’s not so subtle request for them to emigrate in order to preserve the income of the wealthy. They’ve given many of us a choice between living in poverty or moving overseas, providing you have the means to do so, that is.”

Ronán Burtenshaw, of the youth campaign group We’re Not Leaving, said:

“This policy of supporting mass emigration has to be stopped. We’re Not Leaving supports Friday’s protest by the TEEU, CWU, and Mandate and encourages young people to tell the Department of Social Protection where they can stick what amount to eviction notices for a generation.

He added, “We’re also encouraging all of those attending to join us in Liberty Hall on Saturday from 11am for a Young People’s Assembly. It’s time for young people to organise and fight back.”

You can view a copy of one of the letters by clicking here.